Although astrologers descanted on the auspiciousness of that hour for fighting, and adduced arguments in proof of the incom­ing victory, and although his Generals insisted on continuing the battle, Sarfarāz Khān was unmoved, and forbade by use of threats further fightings that day. Then Sarfarāz Khān encamped on the banks of the Gerīah river. Meanwhile, a letter from Mahābat Jang came avowing his loyalty, and explaining that he had come simply to pay his respects to Sarfarāz Khān. Sarfarāz Khān, who was quite inexperienced, on perusal of the letter, became reassured, dispensed with all precautions, foolishly released Ḥājī Aḥmad, who was the root of all the disturbance, and sent him to A‘lī Vardī Khān Mahābat Jang, in order to reassure the latter and to bring him over. He also sent in the Haji’s company Shujā Qulī Khān and Khwājah Basant, his two special confidantes, with a view to ascertain exactly the prospects of peace and war, to guage correctly the dispositions of A‘lī Vardī’s Army, and then to apprise him accurately. The imprisonment of the Hājī with his other relatives had plunged Mahabat Jang into a whirlpool of confusion. He had apprehended that they would be slain, and had, therefore, hesitated to offer battle. Viewing the release of the Ḥājī to be auspicious, nay as the first augury of victory, Mahabat Jang (A‘lī Vardi) enclosed in a casket a brick, giving out it contained the Holy Qoran, held it in his hand, and swore by it that next morning he would with folded hands present himself before Nawāb Sarfarāz Khān, and would sue for pardon for his mis­conduct. At the same time he presented two hundred gold coins to Khwājah Basant. These idiots (Shuj‘a Qulī Khān and Khwājah Basant), not fathoming the water under the grass, returned happy and jolly, and describing to Nawāb Sarfarāz Khān the loyal dis­position of A‘lī Vardī Khān cooled the fire of his wrath. Nawāb Sarfarāz Khān then ordered his butler to prepare dainty dishes for a banquet, sat re-assured on the bed of comfort, nay slumbered the sleep of insecurity on the bed of sleep (which is akin to death); and his soldiers, intoxicated by the inebriation of the wine-cup of peace, let go from their hands the reins of watch and alertness.

After the withdrawal of Sarfarāz Khān’s emissaries, A‘lī Vardī Khān soothed and won over his officers by promising them two months’ pay in the event of his victory, and also by promising them the booty that might be captured. He thus incited and instigated them to fight, and distributed shells, gunpowder and arma­ments. The Generals of Sarfarāz Khān’s army who from before were in league with A‘lī Vardī Khān, were all ready for treachery and regicide. The only exceptions were Muḥammad Ghaus Khān and Mīr Sharfu-d-dīn, Commanders of the vanguard of Sarfarāz Khān’s army, who were posted at the ford of the river Gerīah. Ascertaining through messengers and spies the secret plot of teachery that was hatching, both the above Generals at midnight hastened to Sarfarāz Khān, apprised the latter of the fire of treachery that was fanning under a straw-covering, and offered by way of precaution to remove him that night to their own camp, and there to guard him, and next morning to sacrifice their lives by fighting gallantly round him. In that in matters of destiny, efforts are helpless, and the knot of Fate cannot be untied with the nail of Efforts, the will of Providence cast the quicksilver of heedlessness into the ear of Sarfarāz Khān. Placing no reliance on their loyal representation, Sarfarāz Khān treated those two Generals in a rude and threatening manner, and by way of censure added: “You opening a shop of self-aggrandisement desire that I should be involved in war against Mahābat Jang, who is my well-wisher.” Those two Generals got up blushing with shame and humiliation, and returned to their own camps. Arming themselves, along with their forces, they passed the night in alertness; whilst Sarfarāz Khān, in the slumber of heedlessness, lay intoxicated with the wine of sleep. At the instigation of Hajī Aḥmad, in the dead of night, under the pretext of visiting relations and friends, the officers and soldiers of Mahābat Jang’s army, with their light baggages, by ones and twos, mingled with the army of Sarfarāz Khān, and forming rings round the Royal tent looked out for an opportunity to strike.

The officers of Shuj‘ā Khān’s regime, upon whom Sarfarāz Khān placed great reliance, from the very beginning were in intrigue with the Ḥājī, and seeing and knowing all connived at and concealed the conspiracy; whilst the loyal adherents of Sar­farāz Khān held their tongue from fear of being snubbed. Whilst one hour of the night yet remained, A‘lī Vardī Khān and Ḥājī Aḥmad divided their forces into two divisions. They detailed one division under the command of Nandlāl Jama‘dār, together with the standard and the kettle-drum, and flags and elephants, to attack Ghaus Khān and Mīr Sharfu-d-dīn, whilst with another division, consisting of Afghān and Bhalīah troops, in the darkness of the night, under the guidance of the men of the Zamīndārī of Ramakant, Zamīndār of Rājshāhī, they themselves marched to deliver a night-attack against Sarfarāz Khān. And towards the day-break, whilst yet the darkness of the night continued, and friends could not be distinguished from foes, they suddenly, like death, attacked Sarfarāz Khān’s troops who were inebriated with the wine of sleep, (which is akin to death), and fired their guns. The old proteges awoke Sarfarāz Khān from his slumber of neglect, and apprised him of the aspect of affairs. As fortune, how­ever, had averted its face from him, even now Sarfarāz Khān refus­ed to listen to them with the ear of credence, snubbed them, and again insisted on the quick preparation of viands for a banquet. Sarfarāz Khān* added, “A‘lī Vardī Khān is coming to visit me.” At this moment, another cannon-shell fell; and by the time of the sunrise, the troops of Mahābat Jang exhibited themselves in battle-array. Guns and rockets, arrows and muskets flashing lightning, and showering destruction poured in. The troops of Sarfarāz Khān who were intoxicated by the wine of the morning sleep, harum-scarum sprang up from their beds of slumber, and girding up their loins fled; whilst others, not commanding the nerve to gird up their loins or to arm themselves, were butchered. Sarfarāz Khān’s army was panic-stricken.

Only one solitary column consisting mostly of Sarfarāz Khān’s old officers, impelled by sentiments of honour, and animated by a sense of loyalty, arrayed themselves on the battle-field, gallantly resolved to sacrifice their lives, and firmly stood their ground. Nawāb Sarfarāz Khān, after finishing his morning-prayer, also armed himself, seized the Holy Qoran with one hand, and mounted a swift elephant. Then letting loose the royal elephant in front of himself, he flung himself into the thick of the fight, and com­menced shooting arrows. The Afghān generals of Mahābat Jang’s army, covered by a squadron of Bhalīah infantry, charged Sarfarāz Khān’s army.

In this sword-charge, wherein the boisterous wind of Death threw down on the plain of annihilation corpses like leaves of trees, and the flood of blood raged tumultuously on every side, Mardān A‘lī Khān, the Bakhshi of Shuj‘ā Khān’s regime, who was now the generalissimo of Sarfarāz Khān’s army, and commanded the van, feeling himself incapable of continuing the contest any longer, fled. At the sight of this flight, Sarfarāz Khān’s army was demoralised, and a general stampede ensued in its ranks.